


Link Start

by zorlia



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28418421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zorlia/pseuds/zorlia
Summary: “SAO” Tsuna read the English letters slowly, carefully keeping his pronunciation correct.Two years before Reborn stepped foot into Namimori, Kayaba Akihiko released SAO.
Relationships: Sawada Tsunayoshi & Vongola Tenth Generation Guardians
Comments: 21
Kudos: 193





	1. SAO

“SAO” Tsuna read the English letters slowly, carefully keeping his pronunciation correct. His English grades were his best (still failing, just not as bad as his other classes) and he liked to take some pride in that. His mother was cooing over the gaming system that had come in with the title. There were proverbial hearts in her eyes as she looked the gifts over. One would almost think the present was for her, not Tsuna.

“Isn't Papa so nice to send you something so grand for your birthday?” She snatched up the instruction manual and began reading. No doubt the matron would have the whole thing set up and ready for Tsuna before the end of the night. He sighed at her enthusiasm, unable to let himself poke at it. Rightfully so, in his opinion. His birthday was in October. They were currently at the start of summer break. Tsuna wasn't sure if this was a gift for his last birthday, or the next one. Or if his father had just forgotten when Tsuna's birthday was.

The gifts came in the mail, with so many stamps and postmarks on them Tsuna was half convinced that went through enough countries to get a frequent flyer pass. It was all jammed into one giant box, wrapped pristinely with childish robot designs and a blue bow. Iemitsu at least remembered that Tsuna liked robots. Even if that love died out years ago from growing up and no longer being an elementary student. Still, Tsuna was fair enough to give the man a point. Just the one.

With the NerveGear, the most popular gaming system of the century was a small assortment of games. Among them was a pre-ordered copy of Sword Art Online. The NerveGear was top of the line by made specifically for VR – virtual reality. Put on the helmet-looking device and be whisked away to another world, living within the very games that you liked to play.

Tsuna was not a large gamer. Nor did he watch the news or gossip with friends. Mostly because he didn't have any friends. That did not mean he was a  _ complete _ hermit though. It was impossible to not heard of amazing feats of the NerveGear or the specially made game for it, SAO. Kayaba Akihiko made the VRMMORPG just for his gaming system. A fantasy RPG is lauded for its design and criticized for the lack of a magic system. Tsuna didn't know much more than that, catching snippets of conversations from those conversing at lunch during school. Still, the hype was real, and it was infectious.

Tsuna didn't think much of his absent father, but this was a pretty cool thing. Something that went against his useless reputation. He couldn't tell anyone about it, having no real friends. Even still, who would believe him? Useless Tsuna owning the coolest game of the year before it even released? Impossible. Tsuna didn't want to ruin what excitement he had for the game as it was.

And, if one were to be optimistic, Tsuna might even make friends playing SAO. It was an MMO after all. In the virtual world, he wasn't Dame-Tsuna. No bullies and a chance to build himself with a better rep. Tsuna smiled and let his mother drag him to the NerveGear with this in mind. As he helped her get it all set up Tsuna sent a mental thanks to his father. While he didn't really appreciate the man confusing his birthdate, it might bring good things for him.

Tsuna ignored the knots forming in his stomach, determined to not let his social anxiety and nerves get in the way of this. For once his mother was encouraging him to stay indoors and play video games, and this could be his only chance at making friends. No bad vibes or weird paranoia allowed.

* * *

In the weeks waiting for the opening day of SAO, Tsuna tried out his new gifts. He found himself enjoying if failing at, a fighting game. The cooking simulator was boring if relaxing and strangely fixed on desserts. Tsuna had nearly refused to play one of the games on principle. Because a dating sim? Sent by Iemitsu? Eugh. Still, his mom insisted he try out all the games in fairness; and so he did. Everything about it was fine, if weird in the word phrasing and completely embarrassing. Then it wasn't fine. Tsuna resolved to never play it again. Ever.

Pokemon was a tried and true game and was fun with the VR aspect. Tsuna's Litleo was fun to take care of, though he didn't battle much. Logically he knew that the pokemon wasn't real, but Nuts was like a pet to him anyway. The newest Final Fantasy game was a blast, Tsuna felt as though he was playing in a movie, or just in a whole different world. It had hiccups, given that Final Fantasy games were mostly turn-based and focused on telling a story from a character perspective. Not the player's. Still, it was a good game to tide the time until he could play SAO.

Which, really, was all he was doing. Waiting for when he could play SAO. Tsuna made time to check out more about the game. There wasn't all that much more than what he had heard, beta-testers keeping closed-lipped and Kayaba insisting on remaining mysterious. He watched what limited game footage there was, and admitted that it looked really cool.

As the day got closer Tsuna got more and more nervous. While excited to play, he couldn't help but worry. One of the reasons why he wanted to play was a chance at getting friends. Easy to say and think, but Tsuna was starting to have doubts. He didn't know  _ how _ to make friends. He couldn't seem to make them in the real world. Not even with the advantage of knowing most of the people in his class since day-care. Making friends out of strangers seemed too far fetched for him.

Still, next year he was going to start middle school. It'd be nice to have at least one friend before then. Right? Tsuna sighed to himself in a morose manner. Maybe it was all doomed. Maybe he would forever be Dame-Tsuna, the useless student of Namimori, and all-around friendless idiot. Perhaps he should scrap the whole thing and just stay away from SAO. His nerves were all over the place and just thinking about the game made his head buzz. The building stress could not be good for his body.

“Tsuna? Is everything okay?” Nana frowned at her son in worry. They were sitting in one of the booths at the local sushi shop. She had wanted to eat out for the special occasion of her son being so interested in something that involved his father. Even as loosely as it was. She hadn't been able to notice Tsuna's dying excitement for the game just yet, and he was determined to keep it that way. His mother was happy, which was good no matter what.

“Yeah, mom!” He smiled wide. It wasn't a lie, because it was. He was having a nice night out with his mother and he hadn't run into any of his schoolmates on the way to the shop. All good in his books. His inner worries were notwithstanding. For now. He'd have to find a way to deal with it. Maybe let Nana down gently?

“Hello! Welcome to Yamamoto Sushi!” Tsuna blinked at the familiar face that appeared at their booth. Yamamoto Takeshi, fellow classmate and rising baseball star, looked at them with mirrored surprise. The boy smiled cheerily as if Tsuna was an old friend.

“Oh! Dame-Tsuna!” Tsuna mentally winced at the name. It was newly dubbed on him and seemed to be sticking. So bad that Tsuna couldn't help but think of himself in such a way. His smile came more wobbly than he meant, waving awkwardly. Because he was a complete klutz, that simple act nearly landed him with a smacked nose from his menu.

“Hi Yamamoto.” He mumbled, thumbing his chin where the menu hit him. Nana looked between the two boys curiously, eyes lighting up with each swivel. Tsuna hunched, mind flickering with warning lights.

“Ara?” She smiled largely. “Are you friends? Tsuna, you didn't tell me you had a friend like Yamamoto-kun! He's so nice!” Tsuna balked at the storm of words his mother uttered. She barely knew him! Not that Yamamoto wasn't nice. He never made fun of Tsuna and tried toning down when his teammates and the other classmates were particularly nasty at PE. While he never really did anything to stop the bullying, Tsuna didn't fault the boy.

“Mom,” Tsuna hissed under his breath. He needed a black hole to swallow him up. Now. Yamamoto didn't look annoyed at least. His smile stayed in place as Nana rambled praise over him and Tsuna's non-existent friendship. Then Nana trailed into an embarrassing tale from Tsuna's youth that made Yamamoto laugh as Tsuna wailed in despair. She really needed to know when was the right time to overshare.

Yamamoto's laughter made Tsuna pause for a second, however. While his smile was large, and his laughter infectious, something was off. Tsuna felt his mouth tugging down, and he suddenly remembered the fate of the other boy's mother. She had died in an accident last year. Rumors and sympathies were flying through the school during Yamamoto's absence from school. For a while, the boy was downtrodden and depressed. Enough so that even Tsuna, in his nervousness and clearly bottom-of-the-social-ladder self wanted to approach Yamamoto. Then, one day, Yamamoto came back with a smile. Springing into a cheerful self like a rubber band. It struck him odd then, but Tsuna didn't feel like he was in any position to press it.

The sense he felt back then was back. Yamamoto's eyes weren't smiling. Or not in the same wavelength as the facade he was putting out. They were dulled somewhat. As if covered in a filter. Tsuna bit his lip and felt guilty. Nana might be reminding him of his mother.

“Mom please.” His voice was sharper than he intended, surprising himself as much as Nana and Yamamoto. She blinked in surprise and blushed. Tsuna relaxed as she giggled and offered Yamamoto an apologetic smile.

“Ah, sorry. I just get so wrapped up sometimes!” She winked at Tsuna. “Time just flies by and I can't help but reminisce when possible.” They gave out their orders, and Yamamoto thanked them and promised the food would be ready soon. Tsuna watched him walk towards the main counter. The boy spoke to the man chopping up fish with a flourish, likely giving out the order, and then sharply walked out a side door leading outside. Tsuna's stomach clenched uncomfortably.

Yamamoto might be crying. It wasn't fair. Tsuna couldn't do anything though. Not really. What use would his words be, when he wasn't Yamamoto's friend? He had no real connection to the popular boy. Tsuna wouldn't know what to say anyway.

“I'm so proud that you have a friend so nice!” Nana gushed idly, not noticing her son's divided attention. “I was getting worried for a bit, that you were lonely. Now I can rest easy! That and you'll make friends on that new game! The M-M-O. Your father called last night to hear about how you liked the gifts and told me all about it. He-” Her words trailed within Tsuna's head. He wanted to make friends online. How could he do such a thing when he failed at doing so in the real world? When he was too afraid to approach someone as nice as Yamamoto? Even when the boy might need someone next to him?

Tsuna stood from the booth suddenly. Nana cut off mid-sentence, shocked at the odd behavior. He plastered a wane smile and waved her concern off. Tsuna was mad at himself. He was a coward. He knew that, but this was beyond his own levels.

“Sorry mom, but can you excuse me for a moment? I have to talk to Yamamoto about something.” Nana numbly nodded her head. Tsuna thanked her and dashed to where he saw Yamamoto go. The side door led to a dimly lit yard. Yamamoto was in the center, still wearing his work uniform, tossing a baseball in the air.

He looked over at the sound of the door shutting behind Tsuna. At the questioning gaze, Tsuna froze. His nerves rattled him again, and dimly he berated himself. This was stupid. He was overreacting. Yamamoto wasn't crying, he was just relaxing on what could have been a planned break for all Tsuna knew!

Still, here he was. Might as well go all in and wallow in the embarrassment later. Just another mocking memory to stock up to his rep. Tsuna approached and fumbled with his words. This was way harder than what people say.

“Ah, I just wanted to – um, talk. For a second.” That was terrible. Yamamoto raised his brows with a tilt of his head. He looked at Tsuna expectantly, mouth quirking and eyes scrunching with awkwardness the longer the pause lasted.

“Just – I – Well -” Tsuna twisted his hands into his hoodie and mentally cursed himself. This was going nowhere. He needed to just speak his mind as honestly as possible. “I just wanted to see if you were okay! And say sorry!” He bowed deeply, squeezing his eyes shut. There. Done. He said it. Tsuna wanted to crawl into a hole and die now.

“Sorry?” Yamamoto repeated slowly. “What for?” Tsuna rose and scratched the back of his head with a nervous chuckle. Yamamoto looked curious, but his body seemed defensive. Tsuna messed up again.

“Well, I just, my mom can be a bit much and-” He cut himself off as Yamamoto's face seem to minutely freeze. Smile stretching out and a laugh already on its way out. He was going to laugh it off. Tsuna was sure of it. It was going to be an out, for both of them. Still, Tsuna found that he couldn't let himself take it. Or let Yamamoto take it. His head was strangely silent and focused, and he felt as though he had entered a serious moment.

“-And I wanted to ask about how you work here. I didn't know about that.” Yamamoto blinked as he was cut off. Tsuna fiddled with his hoodie some more and shrugged. “I know you're on the baseball team and are popular. But not about this. It's kinda cool.” Tsuna gave a wobbly smile. This was still an out from the conversation, but not one where Yamamoto had to fake his cheer. Tsuna didn't want the other to do that.

Yamamoto's smile dropped and he eyed Tsuna once more. Tsuna kept his smile, praying that he hadn't just insulted Yamamoto somehow. That would be his luck. After a silent beat, Yamamoto shrugged and smiled. It still didn't feel right to Tsuna, but it didn't look as strained as before at least. Tsuna would take what he could.

“My dad runs it. He's the one behind the counter making the sushi. I help out when needed.” Yamamoto tossed the ball into the air and caught it again. “I never thought it was cool though.” He sent Tsuna an odd look at that. It was unfamiliar on the boy's face, and Tsuna couldn't name the emotion behind it.

“I think it is. My dad is a construction worker. He's always away in some other country, and I rarely see him.” Tsuna offered. Yamamoto's mouth dropped into an O shape, and Tsuna blushed at the attention.

“Really? That sounds way cooler than owning a sushi shop!” He exclaimed brightly. Tsuna waved off the enthusiasm with a light-hearted laugh. It was absurd to think of his dad being cool. The word did not match the image of the guy when home. Bumming out and surrounded by sake bottles.

“Nah. Not really.” He assured, not willing to explain why. Tsuna thought that the night had enough oversharing as it was. No need for him to add to it. He let out a short breath and smiled at both Yamamoto and himself. Yamamoto looked to be in a better mood, and Tsuna was able to talk to another person somewhat normally. Maybe he did have a chance at making friends after all!

“Well, I should get back and eat dinner. I'm happy you're alright.” That was the main purpose of coming out. Tsuna turned and headed for the door into the shop. He should let Yamamoto enjoy his break from working. The guy likely had baseball practice in the morning. Tsuna heard that sports teams could train in the summer if they were serious enough about it. Even having summer tournaments. Yamamoto seemed like the kind of guy who would do that for something he loved.

“Wait!” Tsuna turned just as he reached the door. Yamamoto's face was shadowed by the dusking light, arms lying limply at his sides. The baseball was clenched tightly in his right hand. Tsuna's earlier feelings returned. The air was charged with tension and he didn't know why. Had he done something wrong?

“Why did you think something was wrong? That I wasn't okay?” Tsuna's breath hitched, brain faltering. He didn't think of what to do if Yamamoto called him out like this. Mostly because Tsuna himself didn't know. Not in a way to describe correctly. He was not an eloquent person, and weird feelings and hunches weren't viable answers for something like this. Still, Tsuna couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation, and he couldn't play it off. It wouldn't be fair to either of them.

“Well, when my mom was talking you kind of looked like you wanted to cry.” Tsuna decided to just be completely honest. It worked before, so maybe it would now. “You were laughing and smiling, and really I had no reason to think so, but, to me, you did. And I didn't like the thought of causing you to cry or fake a smile, even by accident. So, I came out here.” Yamamoto was looking at the ground, not responding. Tsuna hesitated, unknowing if he did the right thing.

“How?” Tsuna jumped at the somewhat harsh tone of the question. He fretted mentally. He had upset Yamamoto! He really was useless. Dame-Tsuna was the perfect name for him after all.

“W-well, uh, I mean-” He stuttered mind freaking out at the thought of making the other mad. “Your eyes I guess? I mean, you really did look happy, like normal. And, like I said I shouldn't have thought you weren't okay, but I felt like there was something off about your eyes. Like, ah, I really don't know. My head does this weird thing when it over analyzes things and I'm sorry if that upset you.” The words spewed from his mouth in a fast ramble. Tsuna tripped out his words in hopes of putting things to right with Yamamoto.

“My eyes huh?” Tsuna nodded frantically. Yamamoto looked up with a grin that made his eyes crinkle cheerfully. The perfect picture of a happy teenage boy. Really, there was nothing off-putting about the image. Not the relaxed stance, or the general aura he was giving off. He made Tsuna feel as though he should sit down and enjoy the night air like they were buddies since birth, or just go have a fun night without worries.

His chest tightened painfully, and Tsuna felt bad for both of them. Because despite it all, he still couldn't believe it. Not now, after speaking to Yamamoto and seeing him try to fake his cheer just to stop a conversation. Tsuna gave an apologetic smile, and Yamamoto's smile dropped.

“Have a nice night Yamamoto. I hope you do well at the next baseball match.” Tsuna might even try to go to it if he could figure out when it was. Yamamoto nodded, and Tsuna left the boy alone. The shop was still in the swing of things, and it oddly seemed as though Tsuna had just stepped out of a different world. The change in scenes threw him off, and he tripped when getting back into his booth. Nana clucked her tongue with a fond shake of her head.

The food had arrived, and Tsuna quickly dug in. He'd like to finish the night as soon as possible. Things were processing weird for him at the moment. His chest was aching, likely from the results of his failed attempt at cheering up Yamamoto. He should have known better, really. He wasn't part of Yamamoto's social clique, and clearly, the boy didn't want to include Tsuna within it. At least, not for a while given how upset he was at the end.

Dinner was good, the sushi top-notch and Nana's prattling words kept Tsuna's head clear of the white noise it entered after talking with Yamamoto. By the time their meal was finished Tsuna was surprised to note that most of the other customers were gone and that it was starting to get late. He hadn't noticed the time going by so quickly.

“Are you all finished?” Tsuna jumped as the tall man from the counter approached their table. He was grinning loudly, eyes crinkling at the sides similar to Yamamoto's. This was Yamamoto's father. Nana beamed right back, money for the meal out and ready with a hefty tip.

“Yes, and it was a very wonderful meal!” She chirped. “Why, I fear my dear Tsuna will no longer like my own sushi! I might need to get cooking lessons!” Yamamoto-san let out a belly laugh that calmed the fraying nerves that Tsuna didn't realize he had. The man took the payment and handed it back to Nana with a wink.

“I highly doubt that. A mother's cooking will always surpass the world's finest cook in the eyes of a child. You two can have the meal on the house for such high praise!” Though saying this, Yamamoto-san's gaze slid to Tsuna. His smile softened and he reached out to ruffle Tsuna's hair.

“Also, it's nice to see Takeshi's classmates. He never brings his friends around. I'm glad your son was able to speak with him.” A warm feeling passed through Tsuna, calming his body and mind. He touched the spot Yamamoto-san patted him curiously. He had seen Tsuna go speak with his son? Or did the younger boy mention something? If so, then maybe Yamamoto wasn't mad at him? Cause he doubted Yamamoto-san would be so nice to Tsuna otherwise.

“I feel the same way! I'm so glad we came to this shop to celebrate! It's nice to have met one of Tsuna's friends from school!” Nana chirped, pocketing the money but leaving the tip on the table. “We came here because Tsuna's papa got him an early birthday gift! You know that new game setup that's been in the news?” Tsuna let out a mental groan as his mother went to overshare  _ again _ . Why was she so bubbly and open? Tsuna thought that the Japanese were supposed to be reserved!

“You mean that fancy one I keep seeing on the commercials and news channels?” Yamamoto-san leaned forward in interest, eyes lighting up kindly. Well, at least Nana found a fellow enthusiast. Tsuna just wished it wasn't this person. Or that it happened when he was in the same room.

“Yes! That one!” Nana clapped her hands together with an excited laugh. “Well, my Iemitsu sent that, along with some games! Including a specially released one called Sword Art Online.” She said the English words carefully, sneakily sending Tsuna a glance to see if she did it right. He gave a thumbs up out of Yamamoto's eyesight.

“Sword Art Online?” The man repeated with a hum. Nana nodded her head rapidly. Tsuna, feeling drained and ready to go home, decided to help further the conversation along. Maybe after Nana shared her excitement with a fellow parent they could leave.

“It's an online multiplayer RPG.” Tsuna explained to the older man. “ I guess my dad pre-ordered it for me. The opening day, when it's online, is this weekend. It's supposed to be the biggest game of the year.” Yamamoto-san nodded along with an interested look. Nana pulled him into light chatter once more, before shortly announcing they leave.

Tsuna looked behind him as they exited the shop, eyes wandering to the waving form at Yamamoto Sr. He was a kind man, cheerful and relaxing to be around. Just like how Yamamoto will look and feel at times. The man caught Tsuna's gaze and his smile softened once more. Tsuna blinked and the moment was gone, the older man bustling around to clean up.

Tsuna didn't know what exactly to make of tonight, but it didn't end too bad. Yamamoto might not want to speak to him, but at least Tsuna knew the boy was okay. That he was okay and he had a father like Yamamoto-san around.


	2. The Town of Beginnings

“Now, while you're playing I'm going to be downstairs cleaning. I'll make sure that lunch is ready when you come back, so don't worry.” Tsuna shook his head as his mother started on him as if he was going off on some big wild adventure. It was weird, if amusing.

He let her bustle around for a bit longer, unable to let himself to tell her to stop. His mother finally left him alone, giving him time to think. SAO was about to go online in just a couple of minutes. Tsuna didn't really have to log onto _that_ game. His mother wouldn't be able to tell the difference by checking on him.

He was still nervous about the game. Tsuna was no good at making friends or anything else really. What if he screwed this up as well? Then again, he really did want to check out the game, on just a playing aspect alone. It looked really fun.

Tsuna stared at the NerveGear pensively. His stomach was twisting, chest contracting, and his head was buzzing loudly. All because of nerves. It was ridiculous, to be scared of a game like this. He thought back to Yamamoto. For a moment, he was too scared to approach the other boy. Even in the case of Yamamoto needing help. Granted, it wasn't as dire as his head made it out to be, but that wasn't the point. His head thought that Yamamoto might have been crying. And, even so, he was too scared to go help. That wasn't fair. To anybody.

He let out a deep sigh and made up his mind. He needed to stop being so scared of everything. If he screwed up too badly, he would just avoid the game. Maybe the entire NerveGear itself, if the experience was bad enough. He needed to catch up on some anime anyway. With his mind settled, if still buzzing with nervous energy, Tsuna put on the helmet.

“Link start!” The helmet came alive and Tsuna's mind was transported from his head to the digital space. SAO was already loaded, and after selecting his language preferences and username, Tsuna was taken straight to the character creation page.

The number of options was staggering. He could change the avatar's details to the very decimal. Tsuna didn't want to waste as much time on this stage, not even knowing where to begin if he wanted to. He swapped through the face presets until finding one that suited him.

It looked a bit like what he imagined he'd look like when older. Just with a few features different, giving a more foreign design. Tsuna toyed with the hair colors, settling on a golden blonde. He made the eyes an ambered tinted orange, finally giving in to the detailed color pinwheel. He had already decided to avoid his own hair and eye colors, not wanting to risk any of his classmates being online and recognizing him. He'd like to avoid their teasing at all costs. Tsuna then found out that one could alter the voice tone of their avatar. Incredulous, he toyed with the scale. Ranging from the lowest baritone to the highest soprano, Tsuna found himself laughing at the ridiculous results when going back and forth with the slider. When he calmed down, Tsuna settled on a smooth alto. It agreed with him the most, considering he wouldn't be able to keep a straight face with any of the other choices.

Tsuna honestly didn't know what else to do. With a swipe, he confirmed the avatar and officially logged on. He teleported into the starting city. He spawned at the base of a giant building. It was a black palace made of iron, sitting as the centerpiece of a giant circular pavilion. Tsuna was near a street heading into what looked to be a market district, with various alleys along the way. Having already spent time in other VR games, he was not as astonished as he could have been when first arriving. It was still fantastical to see, however. To find himself in what truly seemed like a different reality. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that he was literally transferred to a different world.

He opened his menu, eyeing the near-empty inventory. As expected for a level one beginner. He was wearing standard starting armor, a chest plate covering an orange shirt, knee guards on his pants, and leather boots. There were an optional pair of gloves in the inventory that gave a bonus to bare-handed fighting. Tsuna couldn't see himself using an actual weapon with any skill, and had no plans to go after any bosses in the first place. Hand-to-hand seemed like a good idea for the start. He equipped them with a flick of his wrist. The gloves shimmered into existence above him, smacking onto his face when falling down.

Tsuna rubbed his sore nose, mindful of the pain sensory. He didn't think that would be included in the game. Maybe this was a bad idea. Tsuna let the thought fester as he pulled the gloves on. It wouldn't be fair to give up on a game just because it mimicked the real world a bit more than he expected. He closed his menu down, finding nothing else of interest. He could have read the manual, but Tsuna was a better learner by experience anyway. He glanced upwards, eyeing his green player icon and the user-id. He hadn't thought of any cool usernames to use, so he just slapped his own name on. He halfway hadn't expected it to work, given that he couldn't be the only Tsuna to live in Japan. Surprisingly enough, it did accept the name.

He walked down the street towards the market, carefully passing the alleyway. Other players were already out and about. They were marveling at the world around them, themselves, and chattering with NPC vendors and other players alike. It was nice to see such wonderment and excitement in the air. If only Tsuna knew how to join in. He watched with a nervous air, unsure how to approach anybody. The whole goal of this was to make friends, right?

As he was thinking, Tsuna had forgotten to pay attention to the path. With a painful grunt, he rammed face-first into another player, sending both of them to the ground. The other boy was a tall man with red hair falling to his shoulders was staring at Tsuna with shock. He was dressed in similar starter armor as Tsuna, only his undershirt was red. His menu must had been open, because when Tsuna looked up he saw it close with a clear pinging sound. Red eyes glared at Tsuna with anger that sent shivers down Tsuna's spine.

Oh no.

"Are you fucking blind?" The man barked gruffly. His voice was scratchy, but still young. It created an almost distorted effect with the older visage of the avatar. Perhaps he was a younger person in the real world? Not that it mattered at the moment. Because right now Tsuna had bigger problems to worry about. Such as bumping into and angering someone who could likely beat him to kingdom come.

"I'm sorry!" Tsuna squeaked. "I just logged on and I was distracted by the-" Tsuna cut himself off as the man pulled himself off the ground. He continued to glare down at Tsuna.

"Everyone just logged on idiot. You don't see me running into people." _Technically you did_. Tsuna did not say that out loud, but the thought must have been clear by the sudden eyebrow twitch on the other male. "Are you just going to sit there all day or what?" He snarled, causing Tsuna to bite his tongue mid shriek. Tsuna quickly got off the ground and brushed himself off.

"Ano, I really am sorry." Tsuna hesitated in the awkward tension. "I'm Tsuna." He held out a hand. The man stared at it blankly, and Tsuna was quick to retreat the arm.

"I can see that." The man pointedly looked up above Tsuna's head. Ah, the user-ids. Of course. Tsuna looked up at the man's id. The green icon appeared as Tsuna focused on the area above the man's head. _Bakudera59._ Hopefully Bakudera wasn't a PVP player. That would be terrible.

Tsuna paled at the thought. Oh no, what if Bakudera wanted to duel him? Tsuna wailed mentally. He had no idea how to play the game! How was he going to defend himself? Tsuna felt the urge to yank at his hair but refrained. Maybe he was overreacting again.

Oblivious to Tsuna's mental torture, Bakudera let out a snort. "You're really new to this VR thing aren't you?" He asked. While the tone was condescending, Tsuna coudln't help but feel as if the other didn't mean any real insult. Tsuna was good at knowing when someone was insulting him. This wasn't like that. Maybe Bakudera was just bad at talking without sounding aggressive.

"Yeah." Tsuna admitted lowly, a blush rising to his cheeks. "I've played a little before this, but SAO is on another level." Bakudera seemed to agree to this, given that he didn't give another scathing retort. Instead he looked Tsuna over critically.

"You won't last three days." He predicted suddenly, voice bland. Tsuna blanched at the words, voice stuttering out protests.

"That's - That's -" Probably true sadly. Tsuna deflated as he numbly nodded his head. This really wasn't going his way, was it? Still it was somewhat rude to just say that to someone. It could really hurt someone's feelings! Tsuna huffed out a sigh.

"I don't really care." Tsuna said with a shrug. Bakudera frowned, eyes narrowed. Tsuna met the gaze warily, unsure of just what kind of encounter this was. There was a second of tense silence before Bakudera let out a sharp sigh.

"You're so pathetic I feel bad." The man said. "I might as well make sure you're prepared enough to not get killed by a slime." Tsuna frowned at the words. Bakudera leaned back and focused on the area in front of his chest, fingers scrolling through the menu that popped up at blinding speed.

 _Bakudera59 has sent you a friend request, do you accept?_ A white box popped up in Tsuna's field of vision, causing him to jump. He read the message over and looked to Bakudera in wonder. The man wasn't looking at Tsuna, scowling out to the street next to the alley. Tsuna tucked a silent smile behind a gloved hand. Bakudera was actually a nice guy, wasn't he?

Tsuna accepted the request with a newfound sense of pride. He had just made his first friend! Bakudera eyed the responding notification the game sent him and waved it away idly. He turned back to Tsuna and gave him a droll look.

“How much cor do you have?” Tsuna scrunched his brows in confusion. Cor? What was that? He didn't remember seeing it in his inventory.

“What's cor?” Bakudera's mouth gobbed like a fish, eyes wide. Tsuna had a feeling that he had just made a fool of himself.

“It's the game's currency! How can you not know that? What, are you stupid?” Bakudera exclaimed. Tsuna was starting to figure out the boy's short temperament. When he was shouting as if massively angry, he was just really venting his annoyance and frustration through exploding not unlike a firecracker.

“I'm sorry!” Tsuna responded, quickly pulling up his menu again. A few swipes took him to his inventory, where he found a small icon depicting the kanji for Cor and a number beside it. “I have forty cor, but I think I can sell this dagger in my inventory to get more. I thought I'd play this unarmed.” Tsuna closed his menu. Bakudera didn't berate Tsuna's choice, as he expected the man to. Instead he nodded along to what Tsuna had said, already heading back out to the street leading to the market.

“If that's going to be your playstyle, then it's better you do sell it. The prices in the Town of Beginnings aren't too shabby, given that it's the spawning point.” Bakudera explained on the way. He walked with confidence, a strong aura surrounding him. People parted just from his stare alone, giving the two a clear path to the weapons vendor. Tsuna was able to sell his dagger for twenty cor, bringing his total funds to sixty cor.

Bakudera did his own shopping, selling his own dagger. He must have sold other things previously as well because he was able to buy a bow and ten arrows. That costed more than what Tsuna currently had, at a hundred cor. Seeing his questioning glance, Bakudera shrugged with a slight blush.

“I sold my gloves earlier and collected fallen fruit from the trees around town. Those sell for five cor a piece.” He acted like it was no big deal, but Tsuna was impressed anyway. That must have taken a lot of time and patience, especially considering how little time the game had been online for. Bakudera was a very hard working person.

“It doesn't matter, because now I'm dead broke.” Bakudera was looking through his inventory. He idly tucked the left side of his hair behind his ear, eyes concentrated on their task. Tsuna eyed the various weapons the vendor was still offering him. They were all low quality, not that he had expected much else. Despite how tempting it was to get something simple, like a sword, he decided to stay firm in his choice. Tsuna didn't want to fight anybody in the first place, so getting a weapon wouldn't really be a priority.

“What's the fastest way to get money here?” Tsuna asked, turning back to his friend. Bakudera closed down his menu and glanced back with another shrug. A book shimmered into his right hand, the title showing it as the game manual. Bakudera opened it and swiftly flicked the pages to a known destination. Had he already read the manual? How? The game had just started! Unless he had a pre-ordered copy.

“Killing monsters.” He said simply. “There is the tutorial quest to kill slime in the Black Iron Castle,” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. It pointed in the direction that they had come from. Tsuna guessed the castle he was talking about was that large building he spawned in front of.

“That's not going to get us much though.” Bakudera read the book with a scowl, red eyes narrowed at the pages. “Slime are worth only a range of one to five EXP. Three to five being rare. They don't drop many items or cor, and what they do drop is usually worthless.” He snapped the book shut and straightened. The book shimmered back out of existence, meaning that he must have put it back in his inventory.

“Technically, they are the perfect farming tool, easy to beat and endlessly spawning in the palace's dungeons. But I'm sure that the dungeon will be jam-packed today, and making it difficult to kill the slime in a smooth manner.” Tsuna hadn't thought of that. The palace was sure to be full of people thinking the same thing that Bakudera had said. With as many new players logging on every second, it would be a fight to just get one slime.

They could try to get the fruit from the trees in town, like Bakudera had done before. Yet, if he thought that to be a truly efficient way to get money, he'd have mentioned it before the slime. Tsuna hummed under his breath, wondering just what they could do. Killing monsters was the easiest way to make cor and get EXP. In that case, wouldn't it be smart to just leave the city and go to the land around it? Surely there would be monsters out there.

They might be too high of a level for them to defeat though. That wouldn't make much sense, however. The developers knew that the palace would get overrun for the tutorial quest. They must have. So, they had to let other players get a chance at earning EXP fairly as well. There were the trees, maybe some NPC quests scattered at random, and monsters outside the city.

As long as they didn't stray too far, Tsuna was sure they'd be okay. And even if he was wrong, they'd only have to see the monster's level and run back if it's too high. Tsuna was unsure how effective his hand to hand was going to fare against monsters, but he had to at least try. If it didn't work out, he might just have to decide to set up shop in Aincrad's first floor.

“Where's the nearest exit to outside the city?” Tsuna asked, mind whirring. It was strange. Being in this world, he felt more clear than he ever had in the real world. He couldn't remember a time before then that his head felt so focused. His general anxiety was still there, but it was like it was muffled. Tsuna could get used to such a feeling. It was like someone had taken cotton balls out of his head. Maybe it was an effect of the VR?

“I walked by one to the east of us. Why?” Bakudera eyed Tsuna strangely. It was likely from the shift in his tone. Tsuna was a meek person normally, but his voice was strong and steady now. It confused him just as much it did Bakudera.

“There are monsters outside of the city. If we're careful, I'm sure we can find some that aren't too difficult to defeat. We can train out there for a while until you have a good amount of cor at least.” Tsuna's sudden confidence fell as he waited for Bakudera's response. He had just laid out a plan of action as if he were the leader! What was he thinking? Bakudera was clearly stronger and more informed than Tsuna. He probably had the same idea, or an even better one before Tsuna's!

Bakudera pursed his lips and looked to be thinking the plan over. After several agonizing beats of silence, he sharply nodded his head. “It's as good a plan as any I guess.” He mulishly admitted. Tsuna smiled brightly, happy to have been able to help. They set off to the east together, leaving the market stands behind.

Tsuna eyed the beautiful architecture and design of the game city as they walked. It truly felt like an old fantasy city from a book or movie. They passed an old church that looked abandoned, stained glass windows dusty and cobwebbed. The path took them through a business strip filled with restaurants and empty shop buildings. Tsuna eyed a group of friends laughing as they ate virtual lunch, decked out in colorful garbs and little armor. They must have spent their cor on clothing only.

“This is probably meant for player shops.” Bakudera commented, eyeing the empty buildings and the odd open shop. His gaze strayed to a book shop that had wind chimes hanging from its sign. Tsuna wondered if Bakudera was a book lover.

“How can you tell?” Tsuna looked to the empty shops as well. Bakudera pointed to small signs on the windows or doors. They were For Sale signs, with instructions to visit city hall. Tsuna shaped his mouth into an 'o' shape as he saw them. That made sense, empty buildings, and shops seemed a bit useless otherwise.

“You're really smart!” Tsuna chirped. “I hadn't noticed those signs until you pointed them out!” Bakudera seemed to blush again and refused to look at Tsuna's face. He scrunched his brows with faux irritation and crossed his arms in a gruff manner.

“Not really. It's easy if you just pay attention.” He mumbled lowly. Tsuna smiled and went back to looking around the city. It really was amazing. Tsuna wondered just how much work and time Kayaba put into the game. The two boys walked over a bridge that rested above a waterway. Tsuna would hear the trickling stream as if it were real. The smell of fresh bread from a local restaurant was in the air, and he could feel a slight breeze on the wind ruffling his clothes. It was just like the real world.

“Why'd you want to play this game anyway?” Tsuna blinked away his wonderment at Bakudera's question. His blush was gone, in place was a questioning look pointed towards Tsuna. “Obviously it wasn't to do PVP or for PVE. Unarmed fighting is a horrible choice otherwise, given that it's unpopular and is useless in games such as these. What, are you a larper?”

Bakudera kept his voice factual up until the end, where his voice turned into a sneer. Tsuna knew that the boy was just being honest, but he still winced at the 'useless' comment. The last comment was odd though. Larpers were commonplace in games such as this. Fantasy RPGs were their home turf, from the way Tsuna understood it. Those who played these kinds of games didn't really begrudge them like that. After all, larpers kept games like SAO alive; and everyone role played a little bit.

“You don't like larpers?” Tsuna questioned, confused. Bakudera rolled his eyes with a scoff.

“They're annoying and ridiculous. It's why I don't play games like this.” Bakudera verbally paused for a moment, seeming to have a sudden thought. “I don't play games at all, normally. I was interested in SAO purely from a scientific view. VR is really starting to change from a fad into a commonplace product. Kayaba's new platform and game is pushing VR to the limits.” Bakudera glanced to Tsuna briefly as they passed a corner. Tsuna listened to the words carefully, curious about what the man had to say.

“Honestly, it's more impressive than I imagined. Still, I don't think I'll want to come back for anything more than research. I could spend my time on better things, like UMA sightings.” UMA? Tsuna decided not to ask about that just yet. He was disheartened at the news of Bakudera not wanting to stick around. He was starting to really like the man.

“Oh. Well, I got the game as a gift, and I thought it'd be a waste to not at least try it.” Tsuna couldn't admit to his secret goal of getting more friends and confidence. That was too embarrassing.

“Well, if you do plan to stick around, and play for real, I suggest you consider getting a weapon,” Bakudera instructed carefully. Tsuna supposed that the man had a point, but he just couldn't see himself with a weapon at all! “Kayaba is a reported genius. I wasn't sure until now, the work to design this alone is impressive. Did you see any of the interviews he did? I only really liked the one focusing on the NerveGear.” Though the words might sound fanboyish by themselves, Bakudera didn't look like he was one. He was just making a comment as if talking about the weather. He really didn't care that Kayaba was a genius, just in what that genius had created.

“Yeah, I saw one of them on the late news.” It was right before bed. He would be next to a newscaster promoting the new game. Tsuna never stayed for the full interview.

“What do you think of him? Of Kayaba, I mean.” They were approaching a large archway that led to a dirt road weaving through a grassy field. Tsuna didn't reply at first, thinking on his answer. It was hard to describe, like that time with Yamamoto.

“To be honest,” Tsuna started, deciding to just follow his heart. Normally he'd keep his true thoughts to himself, thinking them too ridiculous to mention. Besides, no one ever wanted his opinion. Not unless it was to make fun of him. Still, he thought back to Yamamoto. That conversation didn't end on good terms, not really, but it wasn't a complete failure. And Bakudera was a nice guy.

For some reason he couldn't define, Tsuna felt more free in SAO than in the real world. Whether that was from knowing it was a game, or just an effect of hiding behind an avatar was a mystery. He didn't think to look too closely at the sudden shift in his confidence. Nothing had really changed, not that he could tell. He just seemed more inclined to actually speak his mind. Tsuna chuckled in his head. It was almost like he was a regular person now.

“I don't know why, but I get a bad vibe from the guy.” Bakudera gave him a questioning look at that. Tsuna shrugged, thinking back to the instances he saw Kayaba on the TV. “I think it was his eyes. When he smiled, his eyes didn't change. They just looked empty.” Or full of something else. Tsuna couldn't tell through the TV screen. “I think, if I were to meet him in person, I wouldn't like him.” This was a firm opinion. For whatever reason, Tsuna was absolutely sure that he wouldn't get along with Kayaba. He didn't know why, but he figured it didn't matter anyway. It wasn't like he was going to meet the legendary man.

They exited the city and walked along the path. The grass fields were empty, the wind gently rolling across the land. Bakudera equipped his bow and arrows, keeping the weapon out and ready. He didn't look too weirded out by Tsuna's words. Just pensive. It was an odd look on the man.

“Whatever the case may be,” Bakudera finally spoke as they came upon a small group of wolves. He kept his voice low, and never took his eyes off the monsters. “We should get on with this. You need some EXP to level and I need more cor.” Tsuna nodded his head sharply. He crouched down to avoid being spotted and kept his stance relaxed. He didn't know really anything about fighting. He did know how to dodge though, and how to make a fist. Hopefully, that would be enough.

“That one looks to be the pack leader.” Bakudera pointed to the largest wolf, who incidentally had a pair of intimidating tusks. “Since I have a long-ranged weapon, it's best that I stay here for cover fire. I’ll keep that one distracted, and you take care of the other two. The next one we find, we can switch. To keep it fair.” Tsuna blinked at the precise and thought out plan. While he wasn’t sure that he could handle two wolves on his own, it was a good strategy. Tsuna nodded mutely, trying not let his nervousness be conveyed. Judging by the baleful look from Bakudera, it wasn’t a success.

Bakudera crouched down and went ahead to string an arrow. “Give me the signal when you’re ready.” He ordered softly, red eyes trained on the wolves.

Tsuna swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. Bakudera was trusting him. Tsuna couldn't let him down! If this was the real world, Tsuna would have been left behind ages ago. Bakudera wouldn’t have trusted Tsuna with a wet paper bag let alone an integral part of the plan.

Tsuna calmed his breathing and forced his mind to quieten down and _focus_. He couldn't be Dame-Tsuna here. Tsuna refused to let his new friend down in such a way. He would pull his part, and succeed. It was the only option! Tsuna trailed away from Bakudera carefully. He didn't want to alert the wolves too soon. Once far enough away, he looked over at his companion and gave a thumbs up.

Bakudera stood abruptly with his bow fully strung, and within a second released the arrow. It soared through the air until striking one of the wolves. Not the one in the middle. Bakudera didn't look happy about the result, mouth twisting into a sharp scowl.

“Don't mind it!” Tsuna hollered while running out into the field. The wolves were focused on Bakudera now, so he needed to get their attention. He noticed a large rock on the ground and leaned down to grab it. Tsuna almost tripped over his feet and his run faltered for a second. He recovered however and lifted his hand up high.

“Over here!” He threw the rock as hard as he could. The rock pinged the side of the same wolf Bakudera had hit earlier and bounced into the snout of another. Tsuna had thought that would make the pack move in on him, as they had to Gokudera earlier. Instead, the two lesser wolves divided away from the leader and ran for him, tusks down and growls heavy. The pack leader was still making a bee-line for Bakudera. The man let out a curse and began firing arrows at the wolf. Tsuna was on his own now. Bakudera would be too busy with the leader wolf to help.

Tsuna let out a high pitched yelp while dodging a lunge from one of the wolves, barely avoiding running into the maw of the other. He stumbled while righting himself before going on the attack.

Or at least, an attempt of an attack. Tsuna lifted a fist and tried to punch down at the snout of the closer wolf. As he raised his fist, a weird feeling came over his body and as if being a puppet on a string, he felt it move on its own for the downward strike.

This spooked him enough to flinch, causing the hit to go wide and barely graze the wolf. This gave the other wolf a chance to attack. Tsuna yelled in pain at the bite on his arm. He shook the animal off with a well-placed kick to its midsection.

Tsuna then hopped backward, clutching the aching arm. It wasn’t bleeding. So at least Kayaba didn’t make it _that_ realistic. The pain was also starting to fade into a more numb awareness. Tsuna wasn’t sure how much health he lost, and he was too scared to look.

The wolves righted themselves and got back into battle stances. Tsuna gritted his teeth and tried to copy. This was going to be harder than he thought. He wasn’t sure what it was that took control of him earlier. The game itself? Maybe it was just a mechanic to the combat.

The wolves didn’t wait long enough for Tsuna to ponder it further. One shot forward in a burst of speed and jumped at the boy’s face with its jaws open. Shrieking, Tsuna ducked, barely avoiding the attack.

As he ducked down, he looked up as he felt an odd sensation come over him. As if he had hair raising on the back of his neck. Luckily he did because the other wolf wasn’t just waiting in the wings.

“Are you going to keep screaming or fight?” Bakudera exclaimed after dodging a lunge from the pack leader. Tsuna felt like crying as he practically ran in circles avoiding the attacks. It wasn’t his fault the wolves were so scary! It was perfectly normal to scream in the face of danger.

“I’m sorry!” Tsuna wailed, nearly tripping over his own feet. Heart stuttering, Tsuna crouched down without warning. Sailing right over where his head used to be a wolf tumbled to the ground.

This wasn’t working. Tsuna couldn’t keep dodging the wolves forever. Bakudera was busy with his own wolf, and couldn’t afford to be distracted. At this rate, Tsuna was going to be more of a hindrance than anything. His only saving grace at this point was sheer dumb luck. Tsuna had a knack for knowing when the wolves were about to attack. It was a talent he had in the real world, but not with much success. His dodging skills were in peak condition from running away from bullies in the real world.

Combined with this strange intuition, Tsuna was nearly impossible to touch.

But that wouldn’t solve the issue. Bakudera was right. Tsuna needed to fight back. So he steeled his nerves and tried to focus. He pushed away his instinctual fear and honed in on the two enemies surrounding him. Tsuna’s breathing slowed down as his mind calmed. For one blessed moment, everything was quiet. Tsuna stood up and pulled himself into a defensive stance.

 _Now_.

Tsuna took a step to the left and turned, twisting his body to snap his leg out in a sharp kick. There was the sound of canine yelps as the wolf Tsuna hit was knocked into the other one. Tsuna didn’t let them recover and rushed forward.

The strange sensation that took him over before happened again, but Tsuna wasn’t surprised by it this time. Instead, Tsuna let the feeling wash over him and guide his fist to the snout of one of the wolves. The hit connected, but not where he wanted or with as much force as expected. Still, it was enough. The wolf shattered into pixels and Tsuna was left with the other wolf. It didn’t waste any time and launched at Tsuna.

Strangely calm, Tsuna leaned to the side and lifted his elbow and gave a harsh strike to the right. Once again, Tsuna was covered in glowing pixels as the wolf was killed. Not too far away, Bakudera jumped high into the air and shot another arrow at the pack leader. The arrow hit its target and the last wolf was gone.

Tsuna cleared away the sudden pop-ups in his view. Each exclaimed its excitement at his victory, listing the EXP and items gained from the two wolves. Bakudera was doing the same from his place, a bored look on his face. With the danger gone, Tsuna let out a long sigh of relief.

“Please tell me that you have enough cor.” He begged. Tsuna did not want to do that again. Bakudera glanced to Tsuna with a snort.

“Of course I didn’t.” He stated. Tsuna wanted to melt into a puddle. Instead, he just let out a small whine of disappointment. Of course it wasn’t enough.

“Fighting is just so weird.” He complained. He had no idea it was going to be like this. Not to mention that moment when his body was acting weird. Tsuna had felt like a puppet in his own skin, and it wasn’t something he wanted to experience again.

“It might just be that you’re having trouble with the combat assist AI.” Bakudera walked over and looked over the field in search of more monsters. He glanced at Tsuna for a moment with a critical once over.

“You can try turning it off, but then you’d have to go off your own skills and talent.” Bakudera’s doubt in Tsuna’s abilities in that area was obvious. Tsuna didn’t blame him for it. Tsuna himself didn’t have much faith in himself.

Still, it would be worth trying.

“Okay.” Tsuna agreed and found the setting with Bakudera’s help. Maybe with this, he could do better than before. Or at least, not feel as uncomfortable. It wasn’t long after that when Bakudera spotted more monsters.

The two boys prepared themselves and went in for another fight.


	3. Death Game : Start

“Are there any more around?” Tsuna stood up from the mist of game particles that were surrounding him. He glanced up at his health bar with a wince. Maybe slamming his elbow in the wolf's head wasn't such a good idea. Granted most of it was lost by the attacking wolves.

As Bakudera had suggested, changing the settings for the combat assist helped Tsuna. He still wasn’t the best at fighting, but it was much easier now. He now didn’t have moments where the game took control of his body. Instead, he was free to move as he wished. As Bakudera had warned it did make it harder to hit enemies. That was the biggest issue. The combat assist mostly aided in the aim of attacks.

It just meant that Tsuna needed to work harder at fighting. While fighting wasn’t something he wanted to keep up on, it was still a much-rathered condition that having the assist on. So long as Tsuna stuck to PVE then he should be fine. PVP was out of the question of course.

Bakudera shook his head from his spot, already scrolling through his inventory. Tsuna dismissed the loot tab and walked to his friend, keeping an eye out just in case more wolves spawned. He doubted they would. The two had cleaned out most of the area. Tsuna figured they were okay for the moment at least. Going back to the city might pose a problem, but he was confident in their teamwork.

“I should get going.” Bakudera closed his menu and faced Tsuna. “I spent too much time here as it is.” Well, that changed things. Tsuna supposed he could just run from every spawn that appeared until reaching the town. It was a cowardly tactic, but one that had served Tsuna well in the past. He didn't think that he'd be any good against monsters by himself.

Tsuna was a bit disappointed that Bakudera was leaving. The man was Tsuna's first friend, and he honestly didn't know what to do after the guy left. He could try at making another friend later on, but he was halfway sure that would just end horribly.

“Okay, have a nice day Bakudera! I'll see you later!” Tsuna smiled and waved at Bakudera. Bakudera smiled at Tsuna and pressed an invisible button. A beat passed, and the man pressed it again. And again, and again. Tsuna walked over as Bakudera was rapidly hitting what Tsuna assumed was the log out button. Curses were flying out of his lips through multiple languages.

“Ano, is it broke?” That would be terrible. Tsuna pulled out his own menu and found the logout cue. He gave it a harsh push, surprised at the lack of response. Was this a game bug? It was a bad one if so. They couldn't just take the NerveGear off themselves. The headset kept their bodies from moving when playing.

Just as he was about to question it more, thinking Bakudera might have an answer, he felt a tingling in his body. The area around them faded away, morphing into the plaza that held the Black Iron Palace. Tsuna turned, grateful to see that Bakudera was still next to him. At least this way he had a familiar face.

As they stood there, players were being teleported in by the dozen. Something big was going on. Tsuna didn't know what though. He hadn't heard of anything going on. Granted, he didn't spend much time on his own during the day. Perhaps Bakudera knew?

“The GMs must have found the bug with the logout.” Bakudera leaned on his heels, hands cupping his hips. He looked around boredly, eyeing the odd person to get teleported in. Tsuna let out a relieved sigh. That was good. He was getting worried for a second.

Still, Tsuna had a bad feeling. Why was there a problem with the log out button in the first place? He knew that big games such as this might have bugs when new, but to have one for the logout? Wasn't that something they would put a priority on, to ensure such a thing wouldn't happen? Kayaba was someone so meticulous to create a game as detailed as this. Tsuna didn't think that he would accidentally overlook a potential problem with his beloved creation.

But that implied Kayaba knew about it and let people log on anyway. Which was impossible. No one would do such a thing. It was criminal and inhumane! Tsuna shook his head to clear it of the image of Kayaba laughing manically above a throne of NerveGears. Tsuna couldn't let his imagination run like that.

When the teleporting stopped, the plaza was completely crowded. They must have brought in every player who was online. There was a tense chattering among the people, Tsuna and Bakudera remaining silent despite it. Bakudera maybe because he was unworried if irritated judging from the scowl on his face. Tsuna himself felt a need to be quiet. His entire body felt like it was buzzing, mind trying to take careful note of the world around him. It was strange, but he wasn't going to interfere. The same feeling helped him when fighting those wolves.

The sensation of hair raising returned and Tsuna looked up. A blinking red hexagon was in the sky. It read the words ERROR. For the bug? Seconds later copies of it spread, taking over the entire horizon. The plaza was enveloped in a red hue. Beside him, Bakudera shifted on his feet, hands clenching at his sides as if he were grasping for something.

“What the hell is going on?” Bakudera growled, eyes darting around. Tsuna shook his head, eyes still trained on the sky. Near the first hexagon, a red liquid seeped from the cracks between each red notice. It looked like blood. Tsuna's stomach clenched as the liquid pooled together above their heads. It rose, morphing into a hooded mysterious character in a red and gold cloak. Tsuna let out a scared whimper, nerves going haywire at the sight. Something was wrong. He could just feel it.

“Welcome players, to my game of SAO.” The figure spread out his arms, a deep voice commanding attention as it echoed through the city with frightening clarity.

“Kayaba Akihiko.” It was a whispered murmur, Tsuna not even realizing he had said it. Bakudera looked at him in surprise. Tsuna ignored it, too intent on watching the man in the sky.

“I am the creator of this world, Kayaba Akihiko,” He was right then. This was the man who had invented the NerveGear and published SAO. “And as of right now, I am the only one in control of Aincrad. As I am sure a portion of you have found out, the logout feature of your menu is not working.” Kayaba lifted an arm and swiped down to reveal a copy of their menu. He scrolled to the logout icon and pressed it, only to receive an error notice. Maybe Bakudera was right, and Kayaba was here to announce he was fixing it?

“This is not a game bug or mistake. I repeat: This is not a bug or a mistake. I designed SAO this way purposely.” The words felt like a physical presence that settled onto Tsuna's shoulders. It pressed down, deeper and deeper as the words sunk in. It wasn't a mistake. Kayaba had purposely trapped them. Surely the man wasn't serious? Right? This was a nightmare. Dreamed up the night before the opening day. Right? Tsuna felt his mouth dry out as he opened it in shock.

This wasn't a dream, was it?

“All ten thousand players who logged on today are now trapped within this virtual world. There is no way to leave. Should anyone from the outside attempt to remove the NerveGear, a transmitter installed inside will emit a large electrical pulse to destroy your brain. You will die.” Windows popped up behind Kayaba, circling him and floating in the air ominously. It showed pictures of ambulances leaving houses, police car sirens sounding out and a newspaper headline: SAO IS A DEATH GAME!

“The news is being spread to the populace in the real world as well. Sadly, there have been many well-meaned attempts by family and friends to remove the Gear. As a result, two-hundred-thirteen players are no longer with us. Gone from this world, and the real one as well. You may assume most of that danger is gone by now, as proper authorities are taking the proper measures in this circumstance. The chance of death by such a method is minimal.” _Two-hundred-thirteen?_ The number was staggering. More than two-hundred people died today. This was terrible. Why would Kayaba do such a thing? Tsuna couldn't understand it. He wasn't sure he wanted to.

“I now present you with this ultimatum. Defeat the final boss to clear the game, and I will release you. Presently, you are on the first floor of Aincrad. There are a hundred floors in total, each with its own different dungeon and boss. No method of resurrection or revival is available. When your health bar reaches zero, and your avatar disappears, the NerveGear will destroy your brain.” This was insane! Tsuna looked around as if expecting this was a prank. People stood around him, eyes transfixed in horror at Kayaba's words. Tsuna couldn't believe this. Kayaba couldn't be telling the truth right? Right?

Deep within Tsuna, he could tell. Kayaba wasn't lying. For whatever reason, he made his virtual reality into a very real thing. Morality was at stake, making this place just as dangerous, if not more, than the real one.

“I have placed a gift in all of your inventories. Please, have a look.” Tsuna looked, summoning a simple hand mirror from his inventory. It didn't look special at first, then he realized something. The face looking back at him was his own! Tsuna from the real world, with his wild brown hair and matching eyes. He dropped the mirror to the ground. It shattered into pixels, highlighting the surrounding people being transformed into their real selves. Tsuna looked to where Bakudera stood. Instead of a tall and intimidating man, Bakudera was a young boy of Tsuna's age. He had silver hair that framed his face and a pair of hazel eyes that were wide with shock.

“This now concludes the tutorial for the official launch of SAO.” Kayaba dissipated, taking the red sky with him. The plaza was silent for a tense moment as the world re-equalized itself. The sun shined down, birds sang, and their new reality sunk in.

A shrill scream split the air, and chaos erupted. There was shouting and screaming, some people running and others just kneeling on the ground in shock. Tsuna tripped as someone jammed into him, nearly knocking him to the ground. Bakudera caught him before he could, and the other boy hefted him up.

“Come on!” Tsuna let himself be dragged out of the crowd. He was in shock. This was impossible, straight out of a manga. His mother was going to be so worried. Namimori was a small out of place town, would they get the news in time?

They came by an empty alley, nestled between two vendor stands. Bakudera was watching the crowd with uneasy eyes, mouth scrunched and fingers drumming a rapid beat on his jeans. Tsuna eyed him and the crowds. Bakudera might be more aware of the current situation, but he was just as rattled. How could he not be? What was supposed to be a game turned into a nightmare.

“This is bad.” Bakudera turned back to Tsuna. “It's going to be a classic hysteria in the city.” Hysteria? Tsuna was sure they were already past that. Tsuna understood Bakudera's point, however.

“What are we going to do? Kayaba said we have to clear the game, but how long will that take?” He couldn't imagine it would be quick. Bakudera frowned, eyes becoming downcast.

“The beta testers were online for a year, and only got to level forty.” Not even halfway in a year. Tsuna let out a wheezing breath at the revelation. That - that was terrible! How was Kayaba expecting them to do _this_? Did he just not want them to leave? Why?

Tsuna looked to Bakudera, as if he had the answer, and blinked in surprise. Bakudera was silent, staring at the ground with a strange look in his eyes. His mouth was pulled into a tight scowl and his hands were pulled into tight fists.

Something tugged inside Tsuna, twisting and tightening until he couldn’t breathe anymore. This - this was something he was familiar with. Defeat. Bakudera looked defeated as if he had gone past the point of no return.

As his eyes took on a darkening hue, Bakudera resembled a dead man walking. Like he had looked at the edge of a cliff and was ready to be pushed off. Tsuna knew the look well. He had seen it every day in the mirror. Tsuna knew what it was like to know he was doomed and had no chance of changing it.

“Bakudera,” Tsuna startled, voice soft. Bakurdera’s eyes flicked to Tsuna with the same haunted expression. “There’s something else wrong. With you. Isn’t there?” Tsuna bit his lip nervously and twisted the edges of his shirt.

Tsuna didn’t comfort people. He didn’t have the people _to_ comfort. His mother was a pile of love and joy and never needed his help in that department. And he didn’t have friends. The closest he got was that evening with Yamamoto, but that didn’t count because he didn’t even help the boy. He just stood there and rambled before running away.

Tsuna could have done the same here. He could have seen the look on Bakudera and run away. Just left, and tried to find a place in town to hide away until this blew over. Until someone else fixed the problem.

But -

_Tsuna couldn’t do the same here._

Tsuna physically could not move a muscle. His legs were locked and planted his body in the ally like an old tree. Running away was not an option for Tsuna, for once in his life.

Much like with Yamamoto, Tsuna couldn’t ignore this. He couldn’t stand the look on Bakudera’s face. It was too much like his own, yet still different. It was darker, heavier, and filled with something that Tsuna couldn’t name.

If this was real life, then Tsuna wouldn’t have been brave enough to say anything. To do anything. He didn’t know what to do or how to help. And, in a way, that was still true. Tsuna still wasn’t brave, and he didn’t know how to help. That time with Yamamoto was a fluke.

But Bakudera was nice to him and was the first person to not write Tsuna off at first sight. Sure he was abrasive and so _scary_ at times, but he was nice. He helped Tsuna. And Tsuna for the life of him, could not repay that by running away now. Not when something was wrong and Bakudera might have needed his help.

“It’s nothing.” Bakudera deflected, looking away after a moment. Tsuna frowned and shook his head as the tight feeling inside continued to twist.

“No, it’s not.” He insisted. “Something is bothering you. You’re my friend, so I want to help. If I can.” He continued, voice strong despite stuttering at points. Bakudera’s eyes widened, and he looked to Tsuna in surprise.

“We only met a few hours ago.” He stated flatly as if that was a significant point. And Tsuna understood. Normally, friendships were not founded upon such a short amount of time. Not at their age at least.

“I know.” Tsuna smiled with a small shrug and ducked his gaze away. He knew it was kind of pathetic. He was so desperate for friendship that he latched onto Bakudera. The other boy was right. This was stupid. Even if they were friends, obviously there were not at a point to be sharing concerns with each other.

Tsuna had no right to try and butt into Bakudera’s business. This was stupid. A mistake. Tsuna should have known better.

“I-I know that you might not think of me as a friend.” He began, voice pitching high as the words fell out of his mouth. “But well I think you’re nice and smart and well I just - I’m sorry I’ll just g-” Tsuna was mid-step, brain already shutting down and heart stuttering in a dangerous way. This was why he was Dame Tsuna. His once before strong legs were jelly now. He was all but tripping over himself to run backward out of the alley. Maybe if he went to the other side of the city and hid then he could pretend this never happened.

“I’m not supposed to say anything.” Bakudera interrupted. Tsuna froze, mouth hanging open and his apologies dying on his tongue. Bakudera was still staring at him, the defeat in his eyes glazing away a moment at a time. Confusion was left. Like he was confused by _Tsuna_.

Which was fair, to be honest. Tsuna was being weird.

“But I’m going to die anyway. So I guess it doesn’t matter.” Bakudera let out a rough chuckle that held no humor. And Tsuna froze. Because while kids their age would bemoan their ‘deaths’ often, this did not sound like an exaggeration. Bakudera sounded as if he fully expected to keel over any second now.

“What?” Tsuna yelped, unable to hold in the high pitch whine at the back of his throat. This, this was not what was expected. Not that he actually knew what to expect. But he was sure _this_ was not normal.

Then again, Kayaba was the one to really made this day abnormal.

“I come from a mafia family.” Bakudera continued, eyebrow rising but otherwise undeterred from Tsuna’s reaction. “I ran away when I was a kid and struck out on my own. I have a lot of enemies, from both my father and my previous jobs as a hitman.” _Hitman_?!?

Bakudera shoved his hands into his pockets and looked up at the sky. It still looked a beautiful shade of blue, as if this was a wonderful day outside. Like they were just doomed to die in a game by Kayaba. Or that Bakudera was in the _mafia_. Mafia. Like the Yakuzza but bigger and more organized.

Tsuna felt like fainting.

“Kayaba said that if anyone takes off the Nerve Gear, then we die. If no one finds my current hideout, then my body will just die from lack of nutrients. Our minds might be trapped here, but our bodies still need to be taken care of in the real world.

“If they do find my place, then I’ll either die from being shot or they’ll take the Nerve Gear off of me.” A breeze whipped through the alley, rustling Bakudera’s hair and clothes. “No matter what, I’ll die.” That - Bakudera didn’t sound too worried. Or caring. As if this was just some known event that was bound to happen at some point. It just happened to be now.

And well, Tsuna didn’t like that. The mafia part was scary, and he _really_ wanted to ask more about it (or run away screaming from it - he couldn’t decide which) but this was more important.

“There has to be something you can do.” Tsuna tried. Bakudera snorted and looked down his nose at Tsuna.

“We’re trapped in a virtual world Tsuna. Literally, there is nothing I can do.” Tsuna’s shoulders drop at the reprimand. Bakudera was right. What _could_ they do? If only there was a way to contact the outside. To communicate something.

_Wait._

Brain freezing, Tsuna pulled up his menu. This. This was stupid. No way. No _way_ this would work. Tsuna scrolled through the tabs before coming to a stop near the bottom. He stared at the icon.

“What are you doing?” Bakudera questioned, watching Tsuna carefully. He walked around to look over Tsuna’s shoulder at his menu.

“What if there was a way to let someone know that you were trapped here?” Tsuna asked voice strangled as his heart thudded in his throat. This was crazy. Bakudera’s breath hitched as Tsuna’s hand hovered over the icon.

There was _no way_ -

Tsuna clicked on the store tab. And it opened. Various options for bundles one could buy with real money, most of them being for cor. Tsuna’s felt his throat constrict, and he clicked on the cheapest of the bunch, mentally sending apologies to his mother.

The purchase went through, giving Tsuna a hundred cor.

“Ma Che Cazzo.” Bakudera breathed, voice now equally as strangled as Tsuna’s.

Normally this wouldn’t be a cause for joy. It would have been a boring moment of irrelevant news. You can buy cor with real money. No big deal. That was a normal feature in an MMO. In-game purchases were the life and blood of MMOs, no matter who created them.

“That sends an email to you with a receipt of the purchase.” Bakudera was already in his own menu. Instead of going to the store, Bakudera was in the settings tab. A lot of the options were grayed out, likely functions that Kayaba disabled with the log out icon. Luckily, the one that Bakudera was looking for was still working.

“If I change the email attached to my account, I can then blow it up with the receipts until they notice.” Tsuna nodded along to the voiced thoughts, a smile creeping onto his face.

“Then they’ll know to find and help you.” It wasn’t a perfect plan. There was still a chance that whomever Bakudera sends the emails to won’t see them. Or they won’t find him in time. They might not even have a way to find him in the first place. But it was _something_. It was a step forward, a chance.

“Kayaba won’t let this stay available for long.” Bakudera continued, almost to himself. “So we have a limited window of time to capitalize.” The boy frowned. “I can’t send an actual message through this. but it’s better than nothing.”

“Do you have the funds to do it?” Tsuna questioned suddenly, just thinking about it. If Bakudera didn’t have enough money, then it wasn’t going to work as well. This time, when Bakudera chuckled, there was a hint of humor in it.

“My stupid father never shut off my cards and keeps funds ready.” Wow. That’s a relief. Bakudera didn’t look too happy when revealing this, but Tsuna didn’t need to know more. He understood very well what it was like to have a complicated relationship with his father.

When Bakudera had it set up, he began to do his mass purchasing. Tsuna watched as Bakudera went through the motions of buying from the store, clearing the inventory notification, and repeating.

“You should change your email as well,” Bakudera commented idly, after a moment. It caught Tsuna off guard.

“Why?” Tsuna didn’t need to get anyone’s attention. He was safe at home, provided that Nana got the news to not take the helmet off. He really hoped that she knew what was going on. He’d hate it if she blamed herself for accidentally triggering Kayaba’s trap in the Nerve Gear.

“We don’t know what notifications from the game get sent to the emails. So it might be a way to let someone know you’re okay.” Bakudera’s face had a blush, eyes carefully trained on the menu in front of him.

“Oh.” That was a good point. Tsuna frowned at the thought. “But, I don’t know anyone else’s email. My mom doesn’t have one.” She never saw the point. Nana didn’t buy things online, sticking to the local stores, or heading into the city if needed. She didn’t even talk to her husband through email.

And with the lack of friends - well Tsuna was pretty much on his own.

“Oh.” Bakudera repeated, pausing for a moment with a frown. He looked to Tsuna. The brunette gave a small smile and waved away the tension.

“Don’t worry Bakudera. It’ll be fine. We need to worry about you right now. I don’t want you to - well - ” Tsuna stuttered, unable to voice the word. Bakudera snorted and went back to the menus.

“Die?” He said helpfully. Tsuna groaned.

“I feel like this is the worst shonen manga. First Kayaba and now this.” Tsuna’s hands reached up and pulled at his hair. The sting was a small comfort. “What next, magical girls?”

“SAO doesn’t have magic, so you might be safe.” That did not help. Tsuna sighed with a shake of the head.

“Well, at least there’s that.” He said morosely, watching Bakudera’s movements.

They stayed in the alley like that for a while. It was boring, but neither boy minded. This was their only way at trying to help Bakudera’s situation. Eventually, they had to stop. Not because Bakudera ran out of money, but because the store icon was no longer working. Kayaba had shut it down.

“That stupid doctor better get the hint.” Bakudera said snidely, closing his menu. The boy was likely the richest man on the server now. Tsuna lost track of how much cor Bakudera purchased. The sky was starting to get dark, and it looked as if the town square wasn’t as filled as before.

“We should find somewhere to stay for the night,” Tsuna said. He didn’t want to stay outside at night. Though there was a no-kill zone in the city, he was still scared. After the day they had, Tsuna wanted to sit on a bed and cry. Or scream. Or both.

“You’re right. We should pick up some food on the way too.” At Tsuna’s confused expression, Bakudera explained. “It might not actually feed us, but the placebo would help. The Nerve Gear replicates nearly every sense the body has. While we don’t actually need to eat food to survive here, the action of eating might make our brains think we’re being fed in real life.” That sounded complicated and not true. Tsuna didn’t say this however and figured even if it weren't true, it wouldn’t help.

And besides, something to eat didn’t sound too bad at the moment.


	4. Looking Glass

**1st Day - 5:30 pm**

Nana glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall with a frown. It had been a couple of hours since Tsuna started playing his new game. She knew that kids could get carried away when enjoying a good game, and SAO _was_ supposed to be the best on the market right now.

Still, it had been a couple of hours and he didn’t even have a snack. Dinner would be ready soon as well. Nana sighed with a rueful smile. She had known this would be a possibility. Tsuna liked playing video games and watching anime in his free time. And any other time. Honestly, if he just tried to focus a little more on school and making friends, then she wouldn’t worry about him so much.

When Iemitsu sent the present - _late again_ \- she was excited for Tsuna. SAO was a perfect environment for him to make new friends. And it was obvious he thought the same, even if the boy tried to hide it from his mother.

Nana hoped that he wasn’t having a hard time of it in any case. She knew that he had troubles outside of the house. Troubles that he wouldn’t tell her about. Nana might not have been the most observant of women, but she wasn’t _blind_. She had thought that he might have been able to find a better safe place with SAO. It wasn’t the best answer to the problem, but it was better than nothing.

Of course, there was only one way to find out if all was going well. Tsuna needed to get out of the virtual world and spend some quality time with his mother! Nana hummed a light tune as she traveled up the stairs to Tsuna’s room.

Perhaps she would need to set down a house rule for SAO? Nana didn’t like to do anything strict like that. Tsuna was a respectable boy who didn’t need rules to behave at home. Still, it might be worth trying in this special case.

Nothing too terrible of course! SAO was Tsuna’s gift from his father. Nana wouldn’t keep him from enjoying that. Perhaps a curfew for online gaming? No more SAO at dinner time? It seemed fair enough to Nana.

She’d talk it over with Tsuna over dinner. She made his favorite in celebration over the important day.

Nana opened the door to Tsuna’s room and peeked her head in. The room was dark, forcing her to flick the light on to see inside more clearly. As expected, the room was in a messy shamble. Clothes were strewn about the place, with stray manga books open on random pages on his desk and bed.

The NerveGear was hooked up to the outlet next to the bed, wires tangled and precariously placed above the trash bin. A clear fire hazard if she ever saw one. Tsuna himself was on top of his bed covers. His body was still, chest rising slowly as if asleep. The headset dwarfed his face, showing only the bottom half of his nose and chin.

He sort of looked like a robot, Nana thought with a giggle.

“Tsuna!” She chirped while walking fully into the room. The boy didn’t stir. Nana frowned and crossed her arms. They didn’t think this through, she thought idly. How was she supposed to get her son’s attention while he was in the game? He wasn’t aware of anything in the real world.

Nana’s eyes drifted to the electrical plug. She _really_ didn’t want to just unplug the device. What if his game didn’t save? She knew that was an important thing, from the past times of getting Tsuna to stop gaming for dinner.

Still, it was getting late. It was almost six! Tsuna needed his dinner, and to be honest, Nana did too. Nana supposed she would have to bear her son’s ire one time. He had missed lunch already as it was! She couldn’t just let him skip dinner for this game. Not even if it was a gift from his father.

Besides, she was excited for Tsuna. She wanted to know all about the adventures he had in the virtual world! Not that he’d likely want to tell her after she forced him out of the game.

Nana sighed and resigned herself to having to wait for another time to hear about his grand tales. For now, she would have to be the villain. With this in mind, she walked forth and approached the cord that gave power to the NerveGear.

“I’m sorry Tsuna.” She said, fingers wrapped around the plug.

  
  


“Ara?” Nana stared at her frozen hand. She swallowed a lump in her throat and was suddenly aware of a strange cold sweat encompassing her body. Nana keenly felt the hairs on her neck and arms rise. Something akin to alarm bells were ringing in her head.

How long has this been happening? How long had this feeling overtaken her? It could not have just been now. The last few hours she was a bit keyed up, Nana could admit. Mostly from worry about Tsuna coming down for a snack or lunch before dinner.

She wanted to see Tsuna. Suddenly, she very much wanted to see her son. Nana wanted to see his face and hear his voice.

Which was curious because the quickest way for that to happen would be to yank on the cord in her hands.

_So why was her hand frozen?_

“Nana,” She chuckled under her breath. “You’re being silly! Tsuna is fine. He’s not going to be happy about unplugging him but it will be fine.” The words tasted like ash in her mouth, but she smiled through it. Nothing was wrong. Tsuna was fine. He had to be.

She steeled her nerves and prepared to give the cord a harsh yank.

_RING!_

“Ah!” Nana let out a sharp yelp and nearly fell on her butt. She had let go of the cord in surprise as the phone rang downstairs. Nana’s heart was thundering in her chest. She sat like that for a quiet moment, in the mess of her son’s room as the phone shrilled.

Nana leaned against her son’s bed and let out a breathless laugh. She was being ridiculous. Worrying over Tsuna for no reason, and getting scared by the phone of all things! If Iemitsu saw her now he’d be laughing for sure.

Taking a deep breath, Nana rose from the ground. Tsuna could stay online for a little bit longer. Just until the end of her phone call at least. Nana firmly nodded at the decision and moved Tsuna’s hands to rest on his stomach. She patted the hands lightly before leaving. Nana left the door open with just a crack and kept the light on. Just in case Tsuna woke up before she came back.

The phone stopped ringing for a moment, and she thought it might have been too late to catch it. However, it quickly began ringing with new frevor. As if whoever was on the other side hadn’t even bothered to leave a message.

Nana idly wondered who was calling while picking up the phone.

“Hello?” She greeted.

“ _Sawada-san?”_ Nana frowned and looked at the number. It was unknown. The man’s voice sounded familiar but she couldn’t quite name it.

“Yes, this is her. Who is this?” Was this someone from Iemitsu’s work? They’ve never called on his behalf before. The man sounded odd too. His voice was breathless as if he had been running a marathon.

 _“It’s Yamamoto Tsuyoshi-san. Takeshi’s father.”_ Oh. Nana’s mouth dropped in surprise. That was the man who owned the lovely sushi shop near the market. Wasn’t his son a friend of Tsuna’s?

“Ara, Yamamoto-san! Does your son want to speak to Tsuna? I-” Yamamoto-san’s voice cut off the rest of Nana’s sentence.

 _“Sawada-san, is your son playing that SAO game right now?”_ That was a strange question. Nana turned, looking up at the stairs where she knew her son was. Alarm bells were ringing in her head again. Something was wrong.

“Yes? He got on a couple of hours ago. I was about to go up and get him for dinner.” Nana kept her voice light and airy. Stay calm, don’t panic. Never panic. Panicking never helping anyone in a difficult situation. Nana repeated her mother’s mantra in her head and kept her smile firmly in place even if Yamamoto-san couldn’t see it.

 _A smile is a sword and shield. Use it wisely._ Her mother would say, and Nana took those words to heart.

 _“Don’t do that. Whatever you do, do not unplug the NerveGear. Something terrible has happened. You should sit down Sawada-san.”_ Nana nodded, hand tightening its hold on her phone.

“I’m sitting.” She lied, eyes straying back to the stairs.

 _“I don’t think you’ve seen the news. Something is wrong with the NerveGear. When unplugging the device, it kills the person wearing it. They’re getting the word out to prevent parents from unplugging the devices. The Hibari’s are already doing rounds around town to find anyone with children hooked up._ ” Nana froze in place. She. She had.

Nana had almost killed her son.

“What - what are we supposed to do?” She choked, blinking away the images of her son’s dead body in a casket. At her fault. “How did this happen?” Why was the NerveGear allowed to the public if this was an issue?

Yamamoto let out a tired breath on his end of the line. _“I’m unsure as to why. There hasn’t been an official announcement. The news is saying to just leave the NerveGear and children alone for now.”_

“What do the Hibari say?” Nana quickly walked to the front room to the stand near the door. She reached into the drawer and pulled out a small leather-bound book. She opened it and flicked through it until finding the number she needed.

 _“The same for now. They are organizing a safe way to move the children to the hospital. It won’t be long until a representative arrives at your home I’m sure.”_ If there was one thing Nana loved about Nanimori, it was the efficiency of the Hibari clan. They kept the town safe and running like a well-oiled machine. It was something that Nana, an effective single mother with Iemitsu’s job keeping him away, could appreciate.

“That sounds like the Hibari.” She said. Nana would have to make sure that there was something to greet them with. Tea, at the very least. “Thank you for calling Yamamoto-san. I have no idea how I’ll repay you.” Yamamoto-san saved Tsuna’s life. If he hadn’t called when he did - Nana couldn’t bear to think of it.

 _“No, no need of repayment. It was the least I could do. I -”_ Yamamoto-san’s voice stopped mid-sentence, and Nana paused in her movements. _“I had managed to get Takeshi a copy of the game and his own NerveGear as a surprise.”_ Nana’s breath hitched. That was her fault. She knew it.

Nana had sung the praises of Iemitsu’s gift that night. And secretly, she had hoped that the man’s son would get his own copy, if only so that Tsuna had a friend in the game as well. If she had known this would be the result -

“I’m sorry.” She said, voice cracking. Her mother would have tsked at the reveal. Nana found that she very much did not care.

 _“It’s alright Sawada-san,_ ” Yamamoto-san said softly. _“No one could have predicted this outcome. I’ll keep in touch if I hear anything new.”_ Nana sniffled and wiped away the tears that threatened to overflow.

“I’ll do the same. It’s important that we stay informed and work together to help our kids.” Yamamoto-san agreed before saying his goodbyes. Nana hung up and took a moment to breathe deeply.

Iemitsu said that his job was very important. That she could only call in emergencies. This counted. Nana looked at the number scrawled in the small book he had left behind years ago. It was an out of country number. She had no idea who would answer on the other side, but she could only hope it would be her husband.

* * *

_“Reborn. I’m calling in a favor.”_

* * *

Takeshi rolled in his bed. His body was buzzing with too much energy to properly rest. How could it not be, after what happened? Kayaba Akihiko himself had trapped them in the game! Takeshi was all for taking a game seriously but this was too far. Right?

“Ahh.” Takeshi sighed and frowned to himself. This wasn’t something he was prepared for. He hadn’t planned on logging on in the first place. It was out of his norm. Takeshi only had room for three things in life. His father, the restaurant, and baseball. Not this.

But his dad mentioned that Sawada Tsuna would be playing. Something about how the boy’s mother had mentioned it while talking about the game. Tsuyoshi had already gotten the NerveGear as a gift for all the work done at the shop over the winter.

It was out of nowhere, and Takeshi couldn’t help but be suspicious of his old man. However, Takeshi’s curiosity pushed that aside. Because he didn’t think that Sawada was into video games.

Not that he knew much about the strange kid. The only thing he did know was that he was bad at school and was teased a lot. ‘Dame-Tsuna’ was often the butt of anyone’s jokes in their year. Takeshi used to pity the boy but didn’t do anything to stop it. Tsuna was just bad at winning at the game of life, and Takeshi couldn’t help. Not when he was so busy keeping himself afloat.

But then Sawada did something no one else could. He saw through Takeshi’s mask and it bothered the teen. Not once did anyone do such a thing. Not even Takeshi’s father was able to see through it. But Sawada had.

That made Takeshi curious. And, well it was just a video game. It wouldn’t hurt to spend one afternoon checking it out. His baseball wouldn’t fall behind and it’d give him a chance to maybe see Sawada again. This time with an advantage of an avatar to hide behind.

At least, that had been the thinking behind it all. And now Takeshi was stuck in a game. There was no telling how long it’d take to meet Kayaba’s requirements. Takeshi had heard numerous people spout different estimates, each longer and more dire than the last.

“Maa, looks like I messed up.” Takeshi mused to the empty room. He had managed to scrape up enough cor to get a room at the inn from killing slime. The Black Iron Palace had been cramped when Takeshi had started, but he still managed to get some decent work in.

Then, after Kayaba’s announcement, Takeshi went back down. The dungeons were empty, what with most of the populous in a panic over the news. Not that he blamed anyone. Takeshi himself had stood still in the courtyard for several minutes, stunned.

When he pulled himself out of the stupor, Takeshi had gone back to the tutorial quest. If they were going to get out anytime soon, then they’d have to level up. He wasn’t confident with the monsters out of the city, and the slime were easy unlimited prey.

It was strange, fighting in the game. The combat assist was more forceful than he’d like, but Takeshi was thankful for its help. It helped him get a better footing for the flow of battle. Once he was sure it wouldn’t be a mistake, Takeshi would turn it off.

Takeshi turned in his bed again. He liked to think of himself as an easily adaptable person, but this was slightly ridiculous. Even for him. Here he was, stuck in a game, with no immediate way out. His dad must be freaking out.

Letting out a low sigh, Takeshi rolled himself out of bed. Worrying over this wouldn’t do him any good. Takeshi wasn’t one to ruminate on his problems. He faced them head-on, taking action at his own pace.

Fake it till you make it. If it could work in the real world, it would work in the virtual one.

With this in mind, Takeshi made his way out of the room and to the inn’s tavern. Perhaps getting something warm in his stomach would help him sleep. The tavern was busy, filled to the brim with fellow players. Most of them were short the amount for a room, so they were just loitering in the tavern.

Takeshi weaved around tables and crowds of hushed voices. Despite the number of people, the atmosphere was muffled. As if speaking too loudly would break some spell. The only loud noise came from the NPC staff and band.

“Hello dear customer! How might I assist you this night?” A cheery auburn-haired woman asked. Takeshi smiled back with a nod.

“Yes, can I get something to eat? I’d like a midnight snack.” Takeshi laughed while scratching his cheek sheepishly. Even if this was just an NPC, he couldn’t help but keep his manners. His dad would kill him if he was rude.

_His mom would-_

“Of course! Anything in particular you’d like?” Takeshi hummed, cocking his head to the side in thought. He didn’t know what the menu was like.

“What’s the special for tonight?” He asked. The woman’s smile brightened and she turned to point behind her where a window could be seen to the cook. At the window’s shelf, a bowl of what looked to be some stew was waiting.

“Our famous pot roast stew! It’s very delicious and pairs well with the popular black moss bread dessert!” She said cheerily. While Takeshi was unsure of how ‘popular’ this bread was, he wasn’t one to turn down food.

“I’ll take a bowl of the stew and some of that bread!” At his words, the NPC nodded and a menu popped up in front of him. 

_One Pot Roast Stew - One Black Moss Bread 40 cor._

_Accept?_

Takeshi tapped accept and quirked a smile at the cheerful bell chime at the successful transaction. Seeing as it wasn’t a real restaurant, Takeshi didn’t need to wait long for his food. The NPC had walked to the window where the cook was, and after a few seconds, she was back. The bowl was warm to the touch and Takeshi’s stomach rumbled at the smells that wafted up with the steam.

Takeshi thanked her and took the bowl and plate. Then he turned and eyed the room carefully. There really wasn’t room for a table by himself. He also didn’t want to intrude on anyone else. Besides, the emotion of the room was enough of a downer that he wasn’t sure if it would be wise to stay. He didn’t want to be pulled into the depression that seemed to have taken hold of most in the tavern.

With that in mind, he made his way back towards the stairs. Eating in his room might be lonely, but it would be best for now. He could always try to group up with someone later when things weren’t as tense. That is if he wanted to group up at all.

Honestly, Takeshi wasn’t sure what he was going to do. Currently, he was just improvising. He found that rolling with life’s punches was easier than fighting against them.

As he got closer to the stairs, someone caught his eye. Takeshi stopped, nearly spilling his food on himself, and stared.

Sitting at a booth near the stairs were two individuals. The only reason they were separate from the rest of the players was likely due to the death glares given off by the silver-haired boy. Any time someone walked too close he bristled and looked ready to bite. Almost like a territorial dog.

He wasn’t what caught Takeshi’s attention, however. With the boy, was the very familiar form of one Sawada Tsunayoshi. He was dressed in the starting clothes of the game, but that did nothing to hide who was there.

Well, when life gave you lemons.

“Tsuna!” Takeshi yelled, quickly made his way to the boys with a wide grin. Surprised brown eyes turned and gaped in shock.

“Y-Yamamoto-san?” Takeshi laughed.

“Fancy seeing you here.” Sawada didn’t look convinced at the words. For a brief moment, Takeshi thought of that night. Of when Sawada had looked at Takeshi as if he were staring into his soul.

This might be a mistake - but what’s one more to the pile?


End file.
